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Ponytailed Software Geek, you're no NW icon

Seattle-based Pemco Insurance's "We're A Lot Like You" campaign, spoofing various Northwest stereotypes, isn't new. In fact, it has been a recurring theme around here. But as I was walking around town Saturday afternoon, I saw once again the "Ponytailed Software Geek" iteration of the campaign and came to a new realization: It's an advertising blunder.

Some of you may have a sense for where I'm going with this. Here's the deal: If you say "pony tail and glasses" to most people in the modern-day software industry, who is the first person who comes to mind? That's right, it's Jonathan Schwartz, the president and chief executive of Santa Clara, Calif.-based Sun Microsystems. The guy who modeled for the campaign even looks a little like him.

Sure, Microsoft and Sun are on better terms these days, having settled their past litigation and promised to work together on some of their technology. And nothing against Jonathan Schwartz, of course.

But if you're trying to make an ad appeal to people in the Seattle area, home to tens of thousands of Microsoft employees and their families, why would you come up with a character resembling the executive in charge of one of the company's longtime archrivals?

Besides, everyone up here knows the true icon of Northwest technology is the khaki-pantsed software executive. Distinguishing features: Grabs the dark blazer from the hanger on the hook behind the office door whenever he has to try to explain the latest corporate realignment to the employees in front of a paradoxically cheery backdrop on a webcast.

Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates, then-finance chief John Connors, and CEO Steve Ballmer at a July 2004 event. Microsoft photo via Associated Press.

Posted by at April 14, 2008 1:34 p.m.
Categories: Bill Gates, Employee issues, Steve Ballmer

Comments

#117632

Posted by unregistered user at 4/14/08 2:57 p.m.

Speak for yourself. I had no idea who Jonathan Schwarz is, but I'm friends with a lot of ponytailed software geeks who live right here.

Reaching, much?

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#117646

Posted by unregistered user at 4/14/08 3:31 p.m.

obviously you don't spend enough time on MS' campus -- there are plenty of the "stereotypical" pony-tailed bespectacled "geeks" on site.... :)

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#117650

Posted by unregistered user at 4/14/08 3:50 p.m.

Most people would know who Jonathan Schwartz is? I guess if you and a couple of your friends are "most people" I suppose you're right. I'd never heard of him but having been in software for ten years I have worked with several people that immediately came to mind when I saw that advertisement. Worked pretty well on me.

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#117691

Posted by unregistered user at 4/14/08 5:38 p.m.

IF ONLY your average developer were as well groomed as executives. That would be a good day.

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#117694

Posted by unregistered user at 4/14/08 5:45 p.m.

Dang, man, talk about inside baseball...

My thought was the model for the ad was far to HWP.

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#117699

Posted by unregistered user at 4/14/08 5:58 p.m.

the software stereo type, especially for Micrsoft should be the guy who doesn't tip. For sure the worst tippers ever.

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#118160

Posted by RBrooks at 4/15/08 9:08 p.m.

Hey Todd,
Thanks for raising the question about how best to characterize the Northwest's iconic software geeks. Pony-tailed or Kahki-pantsed? Is that the question? Why must we choose? Can't we all just get along! The best part is that we all understand exactly what is being talked about. We live, work, and play here. The Northwest Software Geeks and Executives are part of our community. I'm Rod Brooks, CMO at PEMCO Insurance. The conversation is what our campaign is all about. Thanks for keeping the conversation alive. By the way, how would you describe yourself if YOU were a Northwest ICON?

Rod Brooks
Northwest Marketing Guy

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#118423

Posted by unregistered user at 4/16/08 4:22 p.m.

As a (female) ponytailed software geek myself, I hadn't realized until today that the ponytailed software geek was a man, let alone that anyone would think it a specific man. I'd thought it was kind of cool that the billboard featured a female geek.

Why does any rivalry with Sun even enter the discussion? Last I checked, Microsoft was not the only employer of software geeks (with or without ponytails) in the region.

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#118639

Posted by unregistered user at 4/17/08 1:15 p.m.

I must say that when I think "software geek" it's long hair, flannel shirts and jeans that come to mind, not glasses and khakis.

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#127807

Posted by unregistered user at 5/12/08 10:23 a.m.

Just so long as they don't have a beard, right. This is a Pemco ad after all.

No facial hair for you!

Unlike a lot of forest tramping male Seattlites.

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#128162

Posted by unregistered user at 5/13/08 6:55 a.m.

I don't think you are reaching at all. I thought it was Jonathan the moment I saw the ad. I guess most of the readers in the Seattle area are not as aware as we are. Most of these comments are quite myopic.

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